


With a Little Bit of Magic

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 10:16:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6979648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the year that they've had, Penelope decides that it is high time her team took a family vacation together and plans a surprise cruise aboard the Disney Magic. What will happen during the 8 days they're aboard?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Penelope

"What is this all about, Baby Girl?" Derek asked as Penelope ushered him into the war room.

"This is all about spending time together as a family," she replied with a wink. "Now, sit down in front of your name, but do not touch the envelope, okay? That is for when everyone is here." He nodded at her dazedly and she left the room, smiling widely. She knew he would want to peek at the envelope as soon as he back was turned and would be met with her special seal.

Looking towards the elevators, she grinned as they opened, revealing four more people who were part of her plan. "Hey, Aunt Penny!" Jack cried out as he ran up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Beth and I have been real good at keeping this a secret!"

"I am glad for that, my Junior G-man. Now, show Beth up to the war room, okay? I have envelopes with your names on them." He nodded and tugged the woman up the stairs before she could do more than smile at her. "Hey, Will. I hope you don't mind that I went above your head to get the time off. You and Jayje didn't really have a honeymoon and your commander was more than willing to schedule this time off for you after everything that happened in May."

He smiled widely at her. "I just can't wait for Jennifer to find out what you've done. She's either going to hug you or wring your neck. Thank you." He motioned with his head towards the war room. "I take it we're all ending up in there. See you in a few minutes."

She nodded and made her way out into the hall. As she figured, JJ was still in her office, slaving away over some files. "Hey, Jajye. You have some visitors waiting for you up in the war room. I think Will said something about taking you out for lunch?"

JJ looked up at her and smiled. "Really? That sounds wonderful, thanks, PG." She shut her file and stood up, hugging her quickly as she moved out of the room. Penny watched her disappear and then took a deep breath. Her next ambushee would be the hardest of the bunch.

As she walked down the hall to Strauss's office, she smoothed her skirt unconsciously, needing to do something with her hands. In the months since the bank incident, the woman had become kinder, more open, but still she struck fear into Penelope's heart. At least the knowledge that she was sleeping with Rossi helped to make her seem more human.

"She's on a call at the moment, but she has no idea what is going on. I still cannot believe we managed to pull this off without her finding out!" Helen smiled at her and motioned towards the door. "After everything that she's been through in this last year, she needs a vacation like this. Make sure her and Dave get some alone time while you're at sea. International waters and all that."

Penelope felt herself blush as she nodded. "I'll try to keep that in mind, Helen."

"All right, head right in, she's off her call."

She took a deep breath and tried to smile winningly as she opened the inner door. "Chief Strauss, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Ms. Garcia, what can I do for you?" The woman motioned her into the room and Penelope joined her on the couch.

"Well, we're having a spot of trouble wrapping up this last case. Would you mind coming up to the war room and consulting with us?" The lie sounded thin to her ears, but Strauss's face lit up for a moment, probably at the thought of seeing Dave on short notice.

"I have a few free minutes, I just hope I can be of some use to you."

Penelope grinned at her and stood, gesturing with her hand towards the door. "Well, I'll see you there, Ma'am. I still have to round up Spencer, he went on one of his thinking jaunts and is somewhere in the building."

"I'd check archives, it's one of the quieter places to think around here." And then she winked at Penelope, and she wondered if the jig was up. "For those of us who still prefer paper to all things digital, there are still bastions of serenity. And there are things we can find out."

"You've known all along?"

"I've had my suspicions, but the Director may have let something slip at our last meeting. I'll get David from his office." She stood and reached out her hand towards Penelope. "Thank you for organizing this. I needed some time away with, well, away."

"We all know, Chief Strauss. And we're going to keep it under wraps." Penelope clasped her hand tightly, feeling tears prickle her eyes. "And you guys were so adorable at Jayje's wedding. Now I'm all verklempt."

Strauss shook her head, squeezing her hand tightly. "I get that way a lot, now, Penelope."

She felt her nose crinkle. "Onboard, can I call you Erin?"

"Since we'll be out to sea, of course." She went over to her door and opened it, squaring her shoulder. "Helen, if you'll hold all my calls for about an hour, I've an issue to resolve with Alpha in the bullpen."

"Certainly." Penelope went out into the outer office and looked at Helen. "So?"

"The jig is up. Shepperd couldn't keep his big mouth shut."

"Well, that sucks."

"A little, but at least she's still up for it. See you later, Helen." She left the office and went into the bullpen in time to see Erin drag Dave over to the war room. They were discussing something and she watched as Erin poked him sharply in the side. Unable to keep from giggling, Penelope tried to cover her mouth before they heard her. Quickly, she made her way to the break room and found Reid fast asleep at the table. "Reid," she whispered, tapping his shoulder.

"What?" he said as he sat up, looking around.

"We need you in the war room. There was a meeting called just recently, and Hotch needs us all there." He nodded and moved off towards the war room and she smiled widely. Now all that was left was their boss, and she shook her body, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. She took the stairs two at a time and knocked softly on his door. "Boss Man?"

"What can I do for you, Penelope?" he asked as he looked up from his computer.

"We need to meet in the war room. Chief Strauss was heading there with Rossi just a moment ago."

"Oh, god, what's going on now?" he muttered as he turned around. "Maybe she knows why we haven't gotten any new assignments for tomorrow." Standing, he held out his arm to her. "Shall we?"

She smiled and slipped her hand in to rest on the crook of his shoulder. It was just a short walk down the hall and she opened the door, looking in to see that everyone was holding onto their envelopes. "All right, Hotch, sit down next to Beth and Jack while I explain everything."

She looked around the room at all her friends' smiling faces and grinned. "So, can we open the envelopes now, Baby Girl?"

"We're just waiting on one last…"

"Sorry I'm late, Penelope. Andi needed me to finish one last report before she cut me loose." Ashley smiled apologetically at them as she took her seat next to Reid, picking up her envelope. "This is going to be so amazing!"

Penelope just shook her head as she picked up the remote. "As you know, this has been a wonderfully bittersweet year for our family. Losing Emily once more only capped that. So, your intrepid technical goddess has planned a much needed vacation for us. Somewhere that they couldn't reach us, even by phone. And then it hit me." She clicked a button and a picture of the Disney Magic appeared on screen.

"We're going on a cruise!" Jack exclaimed, jumping out of his seat. "And we get to meet Mickey and Minnie and everything! It is going to be so awesome!"

She laughed at his enthusiasm and nodded. "That is correct, my junior G-man. We leave from New York tomorrow afternoon." She flipped to the next picture. "Our train leaves from here at eight tomorrow morning, and arrives in Penn Station at one. That leaves us three hours to arrive at the dockside. So, we are going to have to stick to a tight schedule."

"None of us are packed and ready for this, Garcia," Reid interjected. "We have to get passports and supplies…"

"Honey, we have that all taken care of," Ashley replied. "I packed for both of us already."

"So did I," piped up Erin, smiling up at Dave in total adoration.

"Let me guess, Beth, you packed for the three of us?"

"Of course, Aaron. Would you expect me not to be prepared."

"And I know Will has packed for the three of you, just like I packed for you and me, Derek. Now, in your envelopes you'll find your updated passports, an itinerary of what is available to you for the next eight days, and some of the shore excursions I planned for you. I tried to base everything on what I know of you, but didn't plan too much so you can all relax on board."

She leaned against the wall and watched them go through the documents that she had included. Derek came up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I cannot believe you kept this under wraps for so long, Penny." He kissed the side of her head and she just smiled, anxious to be on vacation with her family.


	2. JJ

"So, are we going to go home and get ready now, or finish out our workday?" JJ asked, looking towards Hotch for answers.

He shrugged his shoulders, looking to Penelope. "Ask her, she seems to have all the answers."

JJ turned to look at her best friend and arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

"I may have gotten us the rest of the day off." She grinned at them. "I just want us to have an amazing time together and away from everything. I just hope we all make it to the train station on time."

"I can fix that," Will said softly. "There's more than enough room at our house for everyone to stay the night. We could also consolidate cars that way as well." Looking around at her friends, JJ saw that everyone seemed comfortable with the notion and she just shook her head.

"Well, everyone is going to have to chip in for pizza. There is no way we have enough food in the house to feed everyone."

"Why don't we all bring over our perishables and we can throw together something." Rossi had slipped his arm around Strauss's waist and as JJ watched, the woman rested her head on his chest, nodding slightly.

"We have to head home to get our bags, anyway." Penelope took hold of Morgan's hand and led him out of the war room. This seemed to be the signal that everyone was waiting for and they left in groups and pairs. Henry threw his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly.

"Are we really going to meet Mickey?" he asked excitedly, and she nodded. "Yay!"

She took hold of his hand and they followed the others out to the elevators. "Where did Rossi go?" she asked, looking around.

"He and Erin took the stairs. Ever since he's been with her, he's gotten on a health kick. They never take the elevator if they can help it," Aaron said off-handedly.

"Dude, I don't blame them. Have you seen her a…" Morgan stopped himself, looking at Jack and Henry. "I mean, have you seen the way she looks lately?"

"I didn't know you were looking at our Section Chief like that, Sugar." He looked down at Penelope and shrugged.

"You can't stop a man from looking, even when he has perfection in his life." She giggled and kissed his cheek, as if forgetting they were still in the FBI building. "But I think they have the right idea. The elevator is really slow today."

"You can take the stairs if you want, Der. I am going to wait. There is no way I can go down six flights of stairs in these shoes."

"Take them off."

"And run my hose?"

"I'll buy you another pair, Baby Girl." She just shook her head and tugged off her heels, handing them to her boyfriend. JJ lifted Henry up in her arms and made her way over to the stairwell, her husband hot on her heels. The group followed her lead and were soon in the parking garage.

"I'll take Henry home in my car, honey," she said to Will and kissed him lightly. They parted ways and she went over to the car, buckling Henry in his car seat. As they drove, she listened to her son chatter away about the upcoming trip and how excited he was about it. "And you didn't tell Mommy about this trip when you knew?"

"No, Mommy. Daddy said it was a surprise for you, and if I told, Aunt Penny would be disappointed." He smiled at her in the rearview mirror and she just shook her head. As she pulled into the driveway and opened the garage door, Henry took a deep breath. "Mommy, the ship won't go underwater, will it?"

"No, sweetie, it won't."

"Good. I don't think I'd like that." She tried to stifle her giggle at his matter of fact tone, getting out of the car and helping him down. Going inside, she went immediately to the refrigerator and looked at the contents. She pulled out all the vegetables and cut fruit she found there, along with the chicken she had thawing.

As the others joined them, Dave and Erin bustled into the kitchen, taking out pots and pans as they figured out something to make with the leftovers they were given. "We'll call you when something's ready, Jennifer," the other woman said kindly, shooing her out the door.

JJ joined the others in her living room, watching Will hand out blankets and pillows to everyone. "We decided to give Strauss and Rossi the guest room," he said, smiling at her. "Jack can sleep in Henry's bed for the night, and the others are going to claim spots around the living room."

"Morgan and I call dibs on the couch!" Penelope sang out as the others groaned.

"Ash and I will take the loveseat, then." Reid looked at Hotch as if daring him to comment.

"That's fine, Beth and have spent many nights on the floor with Jack, 'camping' in our living room." Hotch just shook his head as he wrapped his arm around Beth's waist. "So, you left our two newest lovebirds in the kitchen. I hope that they don't set the house on fire."

JJ laughed shortly. "I don't think that they'd do anything that would cause that sort of reaction around little children." She settled down on the floor and Henry crawled into her lap. She rocked him back and forth as the others sat down. "Garcia, you are utterly amazing. I can't believe the Director was okay with this happening."

"We've been through a lot as a team since our last real vacation, and look how that ended up. We seriously need this time together to bond." She snuggled into Morgan and grinned. "I wanted this to be as family friendly an experience as possible, which is why I went with a Disney cruise. But don't worry, I made sure there would enough to keep us entertained as well."

Henry crawled out of her lap and went over to Penelope, holding up his arms. She picked him up and he snuggled into her. "Aunt Penny, are we going to eat soon? I'm starting to get hungry."

"Soon, precious." She looked around at the others. "So, I am looking most forward to Castaway Cay. I have my Sugar Bear and I some private cabana time scheduled with a masseuse."

"That sounds heavenly, PG. Do you think there are still slots available?" Ashley looked up at Reid. "I've heard massages can do wonders for headaches. It really works out the tension in your body."

He nodded and bent to kiss her head lightly. "That would be fun. Did you make sure to pack a lot of sunscreen, Ash? Despite living in Vegas for my formative years, I still burn faster than toast."

"I got the highest SPF for both of us."

A soft cough at the doorway got all their attention, and JJ smiled when she saw Erin, a streak of flour on her cheek. "I think we have something ready for everyone. Dave even made a vegetarian dish for you, Penelope." She smiled widely, and gestured with her head. "Now let's go eat before everything gets cold."

They moved into the kitchen and JJ saw a number of dishes laid out on her counters, along with a stack of bowls and another of plates. JJ filled a plate for Henry and herself before leading him into the dining room, taking a seat at the table. Erin sat next to her, which was a surprise, setting down a glass of water and a plate. "How are you doing, Ma'am?"

"Erin, please. We're going on vacation together, might as well use our names. And I'm doing well, thank you. This is really magical, don't you think?" She took a bite of her food and sighed.

"I do. I mean, I knew Penelope was a miracle worker, but this is above and beyond everything I ever expected from her. Are you and Rossi settling down together?"

"A little. We've left the hotel weekends behind us to go to his cabin. It relaxes us both so much." She smiled gently as Rossi came in and took a seat next to her, scooting his chair close to Erin's. "We had left this happiness over a misunderstanding back then, to be afforded a second chance at love is amazing."

"I'll toast to that." He kissed her cheek softly and then focused on eating. JJ watched how they interacted and knew that this was what she wanted with Will when they got older – a perfect, sweet, love.

"You guys are so adorable," Garcia cooed out as she took a seat across the table from them. "You had better be taking notes, Der."

"Yes, Baby Girl. The perfect romance playing out before our very eyes."

Erin blushed faintly, and JJ noticed Dave slip his hand off the table to caress his lover's thigh. "See, they like you," she overheard him lowly whisper and felt her heart break a little. Shaking her head, she focused on her food and finished, taking her and Henry's plates into the kitchen before running him upstairs and into the bath.

"I like Erin," her son said out of the blue as he was playing with his rubber ducky. "She's nice."

"Yeah, she is, buddy. But she's Miss Erin to you, okay?" He nodded and she smiled as she washed his hair. By the time she got him into bed, Jack was already there, reading something on his iPad. "Hey, Jack."

"Hi, Miss Jareau. Daddy wants me to sleep now, but I am so excited about tomorrow. How can I sleep?"

Henry yawned largely and looked over at the other boy. "You close your eyes and count the sheep jumping over the fence until you sleep. Duh."

JJ was going to reprimand her son when Jack burst into giggles. "Daddy told me to count horses. Sheep would look silly jumping over a fence."

They started chattering away and she smiled and backed out the door, turning off the overhead light as she closed them off from the world. "Is everything okay in there?" Hotch asked as he looked up the staircase.

"Everything is perfect," she replied, going down to join the others.


	3. Erin

Erin found herself pulled close to Dave as she sat next to him on the couch. She rested her head on his chest as she surveyed the rest of their motley group. "So, the dishes are washed and put away, Morgan, Hotch, and Reid are putting the bags in the back of the vehicles we're taking in the morning. Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"Not that I can think of, Erin. Just relax here and talk with us, okay?" She was somewhat surprised at how kindly Jennifer treated her, but the events of the last few months had changed so much in her life. Maybe David was right, maybe she was meant to be friends with this group of people. "Show us that video again, PG."

The other woman nodded and clicked the play button on her computer screen. She watched a video walkthrough of the cruise ship they were taking and felt her Dave rub her arm lightly. "Is the alcohol complimentary, too?" he asked and she shrank into him, feeling their gazes turn to them.

"It is, but it's also easy to avoid. Trust me, you two are going to have so much fun in these next eight days that you won't be able to think about drinking." Penelope's smile was kind and Erin nodded, feeling the ache in her heart ease a little.

"Thank you," she said softly and Penelope nodded, joining them on the sofa. The group began to chatter away and Erin listened to the happy sounds. She felt a warm hand on her knee and she looked down to see Penelope's hand there. Looking up, she met warm brown eyes.

"From the little Dave has shared about your relationship, I know you need this time together. I tried to get your kids to come along, too, but, well, your ex-husband is kind of a dick."

"Tell me about it, Kitten." Dave squeezed her shoulder softly and she bit her cheek to keep from crying. "He hasn't let her see the children since December. Never mind the fact that our oldest is in college, and Tom is heading there in the fall. He has them completely brainwashed that Erin is the problem here."

"Dave," she said lowly, trying to diffuse the tension she felt radiate off him. "It's going to be okay, in the end. When they're ready, they'll reach out. They can't hate me forever, right?"

She felt her stomach bobble as Penelope grabbed hold of her hand. "No, not forever," she replied, running her thumb over the back of her hand. "We have to believe that. Oh, and I booked you a couples massage while we're at Castaway Cay. I know how much the physical can heal the emotional and spiritual at times."

Erin's tears melted away at the other woman's very tender, very real, concern. "You're an angel, Penelope."

"A lot of people say that, Erin. I just try to be as kind as I possibly can to everyone."

"And what's your secret to making that happen?"

"The fact that everyone needs compassion." Erin felt her brow wrinkle a little. "You're trying to remember where you heard that phrase before. It's from a song, but it's been my personal mantra for years now." She scooted closer to Erin, smiling sweetly. "And you, my dear, deserve all the kindness and compassion we can offer you."

Erin sighed, rolling her head to rest against Penelope's. Dave ran his own hand down her arm to clasp her other hand. The hour grew later and later, and yet neither showed any sign of wanting her to move or say something, so she contented herself with listening to everyone around her. Finally, though, she couldn't stifle her yawns and Dave stood up, holding out his hand. She took it and stood next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. "We're headed up to bed now, guys. See you in the morning."

The others nodded and went back to their conversations as Dave led her up the stairs and into the guest room. Their clothes for the next day were laid out, but he had conveniently forgotten to set out pajamas. "There are children running around, David. We can't…"

"We won't make love tonight, but I'm not going to give up the feel of your skin on mine for even one night." He pulled her close and kissed her, letting his hands slide down to cup her bum. She loved when he did that, loved his possessive streak. It had made dealing with the cravings that much easier. She had deliberately ignored the one year rule, needing the stability Dave offered from that first night back in the office to their hotel rendezvous weeks later.

"Well, if you want me naked, you're certainly taking a long time of getting there," she murmured once they'd ended their kiss.

"So, now you're impatient, Erin. What about the children running around?" She smacked his shoulder lightly and smiled, even when he caught her wrist and held it gently behind her back.

"They're not in our room, are they?" she asked, leaning forward to kiss his jaw lightly.

"There is that." He lifted his free hand and began to slip the buttons of her blouse free from their holes and the arch of her back pulled apart the sides. "You are even more gorgeous than the day I met you back in '85. Have I told you that?"

"Mmm, once or twice, I think. You always manage to make me feel so lovely, Dave." He released her arm and she shrugged out of the blouse, letting it fall to the floor as she unzipped her skirt. She relished his low whistle of approval as he took in the matching lingerie set, the light, frothy, pink lace doing little to hide her body from him.

"When you wear something like that, Erin, you make me want to throw you down on that bed and fuck you senseless." He tore off his clothes and then snapped one of the straps on her bra. "I know that you can be quiet when you want to be, beloved."

She nodded, thinking about their stolen trysts in her office, on her couch, on her desk. "Well, I suppose, if we're quiet," she said lowly, sliding the straps of her bra down her arms, enticing him further.

"Erin," he growled out, and she smiled wantonly. Reaching behind her back, she unhooked the bra, holding it close to her body with her arms as she shook her upper body. "Dammit, woman…" He rushed forward and caught her up in his arms, swinging her around as he threw the bra to the ground. His lips crashed against hers and she pushed back as hard as she could, loving the out of control feeling he gave her.

"Bed. Now. Oh, god, Dave, please." He backed them over to the bed and as she stretched her body out along the mattress, he skimmed her panties off her body. She was ready for him, and she lifted her hips in clear invitation.

"No foreplay tonight?"

"David, you know that if we even begin to think about that, I'll alert the whole house to what we're doing up here." He chuckled and bent over her, entering her in one single stroke. She released a long, slow, breath, moving her hips in time with his strokes. It didn't take long for her to cum, and he swallowed her moan by kissing her passionately.

"I love you," Dave said as he pushed her hair out of her face. "I love you. I love you."

"Three times in a row, you really mean it."

"I do." He kissed her so softly that she felt her heart melt all over again.

"Then hear what I mean. I love you. I love you. I love you." She punctuated each phrase with a kiss and then she snuggled into him. "Penelope really tried to get my kids to come along, Dave. No one's done something like that for me in such a long time." The tears she had been holding in came out and he rubbed her back as she cried.

"She's the sweetest woman you'll ever meet, beloved." He kissed her forehead and pulled the covers up around them, curling his body to fit around hers. "If you let her, she'll never turn her back on you and if anyone hurts you, there will be Hell to pay. I don't think Alan will quite know what's hit him the next time he pulls that crap with visitation."

"You'd think, after all that I've been through, I'd have more of a backbone when it comes to him. I just don't want to hurt the children."

"And if I were Solomon, that would be the reason I gave you custody. Unfortunately, there are some judges who are easy to sway with favors or money." He kissed her once more and she sighed softly. "After this vacation, we're going to fight for custody of her. You are going to let me use my clout and resources this time, Erin. I hate watching this tear you apart."

"Fine, David. I will let you do that." He smiled and gave her another kiss, and she returned it sweetly, digging her fingers into his hair. "Help me find my courage once more, my love."

"It's hiding in here," he said softly as he laid his hand on her chest. "With a little bit of magic, we might be able to coax it out together." She nodded and let him pull her close once more, kissing his chest as he brought his chin down to rest on her head.

"Sing me to sleep?"

"I will always do what my love asks of me." She lifted her face and kissed his jaw. "What would you like me to sing for you?"

"My favorite song."

"Ah, let me see if I can remember what that is." He began to rock her gently in his arms and began to hum the intro to her song. "I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places that this heart of mine embraces all day through…" As he continued with the song, she felt herself drift off to sleep, content in his arms.


	4. Day One: Beth

"Is there anything I can do to help you, Jennifer?"

The woman turned away from the refrigerator and smiled at her. "No, I think I have a handle on things, Beth."

She nodded and smoothed her white linen pants. "There's nothing to do. You guys work like a well-oiled machine."

"Well, when you've been together for more than eight years, you tend to know what everyone is thinking. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of how it all works eventually."

"I guess." Beth sat on one of the chairs and rested her chin on her hand. That was what she was afraid of, having to compete with people who had basically lived together for close to a decade or more. A warm hand came to rest on her shoulder and she looked up into Garcia's warm brown eyes. "What can I do for you?"

"Why don't we go talk in the living room. You're looking a little lost here." The other woman waited until Beth stood and they went into the living room. "Here, you can help me fold all the blankets we used last night. So, you're finding it hard to fit in."

"How?"

"I'm not a profiler, but I do know how to read people. Beth, you're doing fine. Jack adores you, and so does Hotch. He's not going to come out and say it, Haley sort of made him reticent to talk about his feelings. He's always been a private person, as I'm sure you know by now. So, I'll let you in on a little secret – if you want to make him smile, ask to ride his Hotch rocket."

Beth couldn't help but giggle. "Wherever did you come up with that one?"

"Would you believe that it slipped out of my mouth accidentally one morning as they were flying out on a case? The whole team heard it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, talk about embarrassing. Oh my god, my face turned so red."

"I can only imagine." She smiled warmly. "I forgot to ask, on Castaway Cay, did you happen to schedule us a couples massage?"

"I scheduled one for all of us, honey. At varying times, so we can keep an eye on the kids. And don't be afraid to knock on our door if you want some private time with Hotch. Morgan and I have no problems looking after Jack for an afternoon or evening."

"I'll have to keep that in mind." They worked quickly and soon had all the blankets piled on the sofa. "I'm surprised you didn't take the train out of DC. It gets into New York a little earlier than ours."

"The Amtrack was cheaper. I may have deep pockets, being a technical goddess and all that, but they only run so deep."

Beth gaped a little at the thought of the woman paying for everything on their journey, knowing that she had to repay her somehow; it wasn't fair for her to bear that financial burden alone. "Well, slower is nicer at times, too. I like to watch the scenery go by, and I tend to lose all sense of time."

Penelope just nodded and shrugged a little, looking down at her watch. "We'd better get the others rounded up. Will you go and check on Rossi and Strauss? They're in the guest room at the end of the hall upstairs."

She readily agreed and made her way upstairs. From outside the room, she could voices murmuring, and she knocked lightly before opening up the door. "Good morning. Penelope thinks it's time we were heading out."

Erin smiled up at her from the bed, adjusting her blouse. "Good morning, Beth. We'll be right down."

She nodded and left the room, listening to the other woman lowly giggle at something her lover was doing. A soft grin spread across her face at their obvious love. From what she had heard from Aaron, Dave was a hopeless romantic and he showed it in the way he treated his lover. Aaron had picked up a few tips in the past few weeks, and for that she was grateful.

By the time she got back downstairs, Jack was tying his shoes and Aaron came up to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Were they decent?"

"Erin was dressed. I didn't see Dave." She pulled back from him and grinned. "Are we all ready to go?"

"I think so. Let's go, Jack. We're riding with Will and JJ."

"Yay! I want to sit next to the window!" He opened the front door and ran over to the van, climbing in next to Henry's car seat. As Beth watched, the two boys began chattering away and she followed the kid out, leaning against the van. "Beth, you have to sit behind us, okay?"

"Okay, Jack." She waited for Aaron to join her in the back and once their belts were buckled, she scooted close to him. "Is anyone else riding with us?"

"I don't think so. The others are riding in Morgan's Escalade." Aaron smiled at her and she sighed a little, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you know who's paying for all this?"

"Penelope. We need to do something for her, honey. I know she's generous to a fault, but she shouldn't bear this financial burden alone." He nodded and she let out a soft breath. "But what can we do? I don't want to patronize her."

"I'm sure we'll think of something." Will got behind the wheel of the van and they pulled out, leading the way to the train station. The ride was quite short and soon they were getting out of the vehicles. Aaron went to help the other men load the luggage onto a baggage cart and she smiled as she held onto Jack's hand.

"We should probably go claim seats," Penelope said to the rest of the group and they all nodded. Beth followed her onto the train and Jack ran on ahead to a group of open seats.

"We can sit here! That way I can look out the window."

"I wanna look out window, too, Mama," Henry said and JJ nodded, getting him situated in the seat. Penelope and Erin sat across the aisle from them, while Ashley claimed the seats behind them for the rest of their group.

"The porter said that we don't have to claim the luggage, since there are Disney tags on them already," Aaron said as he took a seat behind Beth and Jack.

"One of the perks of having access to Disney magic." Penelope cuddled up into her boyfriend and grinned. "And I meant what I said. Once we're on board, don't worry about paying for anything other than souvenirs. The rest is taken care of, even our supper at Palo."

Beth just looked at her and shook her head. "You're doing too much for us, Penelope."

"No, I'm not. You all are my family."

Beth knew she couldn't argue with the woman and settled back in the seat. A few minutes later they got under way and she looked out the window, watching the station disappear from view. "Beth, smile." She looked up at Jack and he took a quick picture of her.

"Where'd you get the camera, sweetie?"

"From Aunt Penelope. There's one for you, too." He handed her a small Canon camera with her name etched into it. "I think we all got one."

She looked over at the woman, who was smiling happily as she chattered with Erin, taking pictures of her and Dave. "Beth, would you take a picture of the four of us?" she asked, catching her eye. She nodded and took Penelope's camera from her hand, watching as they rearranged themselves in the seats, looking at her. She took a few pictures of the group and then handed the camera back. "Thank you! Enjoy the camera, and when you need a new memory card, just come see me. I got an awesome deal on them, thanks to that sale at Circuit Shack."

Beth found herself nodding again and turned on the camera, looking at all the functions of the little device. Turning it on, she focused it on Jack, taking pictures of him and then of the others. "Are we going to share these pictures?"

"I was thinking that we could. Or at least the public ones. I know there are going to be a few private ones that should only be seen by family eyes, and that's okay. It will be nice to share the experiences we have, though."

The grin that lit Penelope's face melted something inside Beth and she grinned back. This was such an amazing gift that they were being given and she knew there had to be some way to give back to Penelope some small measure of her generosity. Standing, she rested her knees on her seat and took a few pictures of Aaron and the others behind her, not wanting to miss a single moment of this vacation.

"Beth, what's the newest piece of art you've gotten in?" JJ asked kindly.

"Our museum just acquired the rights to show some Manet works. I've been trying to get them to arrange a showing of John William Waterhouse, but so far it's fallen on deaf ears."

"Oh, I would love to see one of his works in real life. I know the Dahesh has one of his paintings, but the likelihood of seeing it on display is slim to none."

"I know, that's why I want to try and get together a travelling collection. We just don't have that kind of money to pull it together right now." She settled back in the seat and continued on with her line of thought. "Or even if we could pull together a collection of pre-Raphaelites, I would be happy, you know?"

JJ nodded and they began talking art, something Beth was good at, and she felt the joy of finally fitting in with this strange family her boyfriend had created.


	5. Day One: Dave

After the allure of travelling together on a train had dulled a little, Dave pulled Erin close to him, rubbing her shoulder. "How are you holding up this morning?"

"Quite well, thank you." She leaned over and stole a quick kiss. "I noticed that Penelope has been a little evasive about certain things," she whispered in his ear.

"I know. She's put out a lot of money for us to go on this trip together. That's why you don't need to worry about alcohol. It's not free, per se, and she knows you won't add anything like that to her bill." He kissed her forehead and she sighed as she rested her head on his chest. "We're paying for her wedding to Morgan."

"We are? I thought she didn't believe in marriage?"

He looked over at the pair in question. His Kitten was busy talking to Beth and JJ, while Morgan was entertaining Jack and Henry by being Reid's assistant. "She doesn't, not really. But I have the feeling that he'll make her see that she wants to be with him until the end of time, and when that time comes, we're going to act as her parents."

He felt her nod against his chest. "She has been a dear, dear, friend to you over the years."

"And she'll be that to you, eventually. All you have to do is let her in." Erin reached up and touched his face gently. "I have the feeling you're halfway there already." She snuggled back against his chest, something that he loved, and he slid his arms down to encircle her waist. Hearing the click of a camera, he looked up into Ashley's smiling face.

"You two are so adorable. Spencer's told me just a little about your relationship, and I've heard the office gossip, even though Andi frowns on it. Are you guys planning on getting hitched anytime soon?"

Dave smiled at her as he shook his head. "We have four failed marriages between us, Ash. We thought we'd take things a day at a time this go round, so that we never lose each other." He angled his head so that he could kiss Erin's head. "So far, it's working, and why should we fix something that's not broken?"

"And I love having my own space right now, Ashley. Things are a little complicated when you have to factor in three children, weekly meetings, and arranging time with a partner." Erin sighed as she pulled out her iPad. "Oh, and a dog that thinks it's another human and tries to worm between us as we sleep. He won't hear of putting Mudgie in the kennel the nights we spend at his place."

"My dog has always been free, Erin. How can I crate him at night?"

"Very easily." She pinched him lightly on the arm and he laughed, knowing that she hated the dog hair that got everywhere in the bed.

"Well, he only does it when you're over, so it must be you he's trying to guard. I think it's rather sweet, Rin."

"You would." Ashley laughed a little at their conversation and then turned back to her seatmates. "So, we're spending a total of four full days at sea. What if I get seasick? I've never been on a boat for any length of time."

"I'll hold your hair back if you need me to, love." She just nodded as she called up her library app, turning to the book she was in the middle of. "Are you going to read to me again?"

"It depends. Are you still interested in the story I was in the middle of?"

"A little. And I love listening to your voice."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Nobody seemed to know where they came from, but there they were in the Forest: Kanga and Baby Roo. When Pooh asked Christopher Robin, "How did they come here?" Christopher Robin said, "In the Usual Way, if you know what I mean, Pooh," and Pooh, who didn't, said "Oh!"

"Are you reading Winnie the Pooh, Miss Erin?" Jack asked excitedly, interrupting her narrative. She nodded and the boys bounced over to their sides, sitting on the floor in front of them. "Please continue, Miss Erin."

"All right." She picked up from where she had left off and snuggled into Dave a little more. The boys listened with something akin to rapture as Erin put on a show for them, doing different voices for the characters and showing a wonderful range of emotions. As Dave watched, the entire team was soon enraptured by her as well, focusing on the story.

When she had finished three chapters, she took a deep breath and looked up at everyone staring at her. "Aren't you going to read more, Miss Erin?" Henry asked sweetly, putting his hand on her knee.

"My voice is starting to hurt a little, sweetheart. Maybe in a little bit?" He nodded and then held his arms up to her. She handed Dave the iPad and let him crawl up on her lap, closing her arms around him.

JJ smiled and took a quick picture of the sweet moment and Dave knew that this was most likely the beginning of Erin's being totally accepted by the group. "I'll just put this in your purse, love."

She nodded absently and rocked Henry gently in her arms, a dreamy smile on her lips. Dave loved her most like this, open and vulnerable, showing the heart that she had buried deep inside long ago when she had figured out that her job required her to be a little less caring and a little more cutthroat. "Do you mind this, Jennifer?"

"No, you're fine." They nodded to each other and Erin began to sing lowly to him, the lullaby settling him to sleep quickly. "You have the magic touch, Erin," she said quietly.

"I learned well with my three. Now, I'm just waiting for grandchildren." Her smile faltered for just a moment and Dave rubbed her arm gently. "If they're talking to me by that point."

He noticed JJ and Penelope frown a little, and he nodded to Derek and Hotch. They took the hint and got up, switching places with the two women. "One thing you should know is that once you started dating Dave, you became part of the family. I think, what with Will's parents being gone, it would be wonderful for Henry to have another set of grandparents in Dave and you." The smile on JJ's face was so beautiful and open and he heard his lover's breath catch in her throat.

"That might be kind of nice, Jennifer. Thank you." Dave watched her hand rub circles on Henry's back, and he knew she was trying to keep her emotions in check. "So, I think I'm going to be getting up early every morning and taking a walk around the main deck. Would any of you care to join me?"

"How early is early, Erin?" Penelope asked.

"About seven or so."

JJ and Penelope looked at each other, smiling as they nodded. "Hey, Beth, Ashley, we're taking a walk every morning while on board. Do you want to join us, too?"

Erin drew in a deep breath and Dave could tell that she was trying to come to terms with being thrust into the middle of relationships that had been firmly established already. Well, except for Beth. She and Erin were the two newest additions to the team, really. The other women nodded and Erin relaxed a little. "Wonderful." Penelope reached out and touched her hand, smiling until Erin smiled back.

"This is going to be an amazing vacation. Did you see that I got us all outside cabins? I figured we would feel less claustrophobic that way. I know that being cooped up on a ship, no matter how big it is, can get to some people."

"Are we all on the same deck?" Erin asked. From the tone of her voice, Dave knew that she suspected the answer to come, and he chuckled lowly.

"Yup. S-Five cabins all in a row." Dave's head shot up at her slip and she flushed a little, shaking her head slightly. "I thought we'd like to be together at the end of the day. That way, if one of us leaves something behind, we'll know where to find the right cabin."

"You thought of everything, Penelope. I would never have been able to pull something like this off." Henry stirred a little in Erin's arms, nuzzling in closer to her chest as he threw an arm around her neck. "But I think we're disturbing his nap. We'll talk more once we pull into the train station?"

JJ and Penelope nodded and began to whisper to themselves as Erin leaned heavily against him. "I love you, Erin," he murmured in her ear as she sighed.

"And I love you." She leaned up and kissed the edge of his jaw. "The day we're at Castaway Cay, I want to spend it all with you, especially after our massage." He nodded and thought about the ring he had in his luggage. While it wasn't an engagement ring, it was a promise ring, to let her know how committed he was to her.

"That sounds amazing, Erin. We have to be careful about the sand, though, it can get in places that are very sensitive. I discovered that the time Carolyn and I tried to copy that scene in From Here to Eternity."

She laughed lowly. "I can only imagine how that turned out. Did you forget that Penelope rented us a few cabanas? I'm sure we could use one to have a little afternoon delight."

"I love the way your mind thinks, darling." She only nodded and rubbed her head against his chest, making herself more comfortable as the train steamed along.


	6. Day One: Derek

Morgan stood and stretched as the train came to a stop in Grand Central Station. "Now remember, boo, we have to collect all of the luggage and bring it to port."

"I remember, Baby Girl. But how are you going to explain our sudden absence to the others?"

"Grand Central Station is a large place. It would be easy to get separated from the group."

He just smiled and shook his head at her. This was really a wonderful way for his best friend to show how much she loved all of her friends. And maybe by the end of it, they could come out to the others as a couple. "Well, I would think you should tell at least someone what's going on. Look, Hotch is right over there, and we all know he can keep a secret, better than most of us."

She nodded and motioned him over to their side. "Hotch, would you make certain that everyone gets cabs to the port right away? Morgan and I are collecting the luggage and bringing it with us."

"Do you need a hand with that? You are undertaking the collection and delivery of twelve people's luggage."

"That might be nice, Hotch. Two strapping men helping me out." She smiled sunnily at him, and Morgan watched him call Beth over to his side.

"Beth, would you make sure that everyone finds cabs and makes it to port? I have to help Penelope and Morgan with something." She nodded and then hugged him quickly before jogging over to join JJ and the kids. Morgan just shook his head she shooed everyone outside and towards waiting cabs.

"All right, boys, let us go claim some luggage!" Penelope rubbed her hands together with a little too much glee before she claimed a luggage cart and rolled it over to the baggage claim area. Morgan felt his eyes widen as he looked at the mound of bags that were theirs.

"Baby Girl, did we load this much into the vehicles last night?"

"Uh huh, Sugar. Now, let's get to loading up!" A kind porter helped them to get everything onto the cart and then helped them hail a van that would hold all the luggage. Once they had everything loaded into the back of the van, Hotch climbed in next to the driver, letting him get in the middle seat next to Penelope. "I have all the information here that explains where we have to take the bags," she said as she pulled out a sheet of paper. "Oh, you probably want to know where we're going, don't you?"

"Don't worry about it, Miss. He told me where you're headed. It will take about fifteen, maybe twenty minutes to get there, what with the traffic today. Sit back, relax, and I'll get you there as soon as possible."

Morgan wrapped his arm around Penelope's shoulders, pulling her close to his chest. "Thank you."

"For what, Sugar?"

"When I have the time to tell you everything, I will. Until then, just think of it as everything." He turned his head and kissed her temple gently, loving the contented sigh she let out. "Mama wants to know when we're moving in together. I think she's been trying to hook us up ever since she first met you."

"And what did you tell her?"

"That when and if you're good and ready, we'll move in together. I'm not going to push things like Lynch did." She nodded and clasped his hand tightly as they watched the city pass them by. "It seems so much more peaceful when you're here for pleasure."

"Tell me about it. Maybe we could take a weekend trip here, in the winter. Then we could catch a show, do some shopping, maybe catch a tour…"

"I think you have it planned out already, Garcia." She nodded and he chuckled and squeezed her shoulder lightly, meeting Hotch's eye in the rearview mirror. The other man smiled at him and he grinned back. The cab turned onto 57th Avenue and they were able to pick up a little speed. To Derek, it seemed like they were making good time, given how much traffic there was at that time. After a few more turns, they were pulling into the docking area and Hotch and he got out of the van as Penelope paid the driver, giving him a handsome tip.

A porter from the Disney cruise came up to them, smiling politely. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Penelope bounced over to the man, waving her hand to the pile of baggage. "Yes, this all goes to the following state rooms," she began and Morgan tuned her out as she listed off the five rooms that they were going to be staying in. Finally, the man nodded and motioned over a few more workers and they quickly began to pick up bags and cart them off. "All right, we can get in line to board now."

Derek nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed at all the details that went into planning an event like this. Wrapping an arm around his girlfriend's waist, he allowed her to lead them up the gangplank and onto the ship. He answered all the questions asked of him and then they were going to their cabins.

"Daddy! We're next door to Henry!" Jack hugged Hotch tightly and they disappeared into the third cabin on the left.

"Where are we, Baby Girl?"

"Just follow me. This is Erin and Dave's room, and then we're here. I wanted to be close to her, given what went on with her kids. Ashley and Reid are on the other side of us." He nodded and she unlocked their door, letting them in. It was a gorgeous room, he had to admit, and he went over to the verandah. Looking to his left, he saw that Rossi and Strauss had had the same idea and were busy kissing on their own verandah. Not wanting to interrupt the intimate moment, he stepped back inside and smiled at his Baby Girl.

"Don't go out there right now. Dave and Strauss are necking."

She giggled and glomped him, sending them both back onto the bed. "Why don't we copy their example?" she asked saucily before capturing his lips in a searing kiss. He'd been surprised the first time she'd taken charge like that, but found that he liked it from her. Their kiss was interrupted by a loud rapping on the door and he groaned with her as she got up. "Yes?"

"Are you in there?" It was Emily's voice and he felt Penelope stiffen in his arms.

"Yeah, one second." His girlfriend got up and ran over to the door. "Get in here, no one else knows that you're going to be on this cruise. Did anyone spot you?"

"I don't think so. You're just lucky that Clyde agreed to look after Sergio for me while I went on this vacation. How did you manage to get the head of Interpol to let me come so soon after I started?"

"Oh, you would like to know, wouldn't you, Gumdrop? Too bad that is information on a need to know basis, and you are not on that list. You might as well stay in here until the muster drill."

"Ugh, we're going to that, Baby Girl? We're FBI agents, we know how to stay safe." He crossed his arms across his chest and stared at her. She just shook her head.

"Yeah, we're going to this sucker. If we don't, we get a letter telling us when our make-up round is. If we skip that one, we get another letter, telling us when our second make-up time is, and if we should dare miss that second time, then we get put down in open water in a dinghy with our lifejackets on and forced to row around in the ocean until 'it's a small world' finishes playing while all those who happen to be present get to watch. I am not going out on the open water."

Emily nodded in agreement and he knew he had been overridden. Hanging his head, stared at his hands. "How long will this take?"

"Like ten minutes. All they do is show you how to put your life vest on and make sure that you know where your lifeboat is in case of an emergency. It should only take us ten minutes and then we can get down to having fun."

"Fine." He sat up and Penelope joined him on the bed, pulling her legs up underneath her. "So, we're at sea for two days before we land at Nassau, right?"

"Uh huh. Oh, Emily, sit down and take your picture with us before I forget." The other woman complied and Penelope pulled out her camera, snapping a few pictures off before hugging both of them close to her. "This is going to be such an amazing vacation, you guys!" Turning her head, she first kissed Emily's cheek and then his own.

He nodded and flopped back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "We'll also need to set Emily up. There has to be another eleventh wheel here, you know," he joked, pulling Penelope back on the bed with him. That was a mistake, since it gave Emily ample room to lean over and sock him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Oh, shut up, I didn't hit you that hard." His girlfriend giggled and he turned his head to look at her.

"I wouldn't find that funny if I were you, PG. You could end up bunking with Prentiss here for the rest of the cruise, and it's only the first day."

"You would never do that to me, Sugar, because then you wouldn't be getting any sugar." Leaning in, she pecked at his lips. "And I know how you like your sugar."

All he could do was laugh and pull her closer to his side. She was right, this was going to be an amazing trip.


	7. Day One: Hotch

"Daddy, I want to go swimming!" Hotch looked down at his son, smiling at how he looked in the lifejacket. Beth took a picture of them as they listened to the man going through the safety procedures, and he knelt down a little.

"We'll go swimming as soon as we're done here, okay?" Jack nodded and he stood back up, reaching out for Beth's hand. She smiled sweetly and clasped his hand, squeezing tightly. "Are we having fun yet?"

"Oh, we're about to be. Emily!" His head whipped around to stare at the woman coming up to their side. She looked perfectly at ease, a wide smile on her face, her eyes hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses. She came up to them, and rested her hand on his upper arm.

"Hey, bet you're surprised to see me here."

"A little. How did Penelope manage to arrange this?"

"She is more than able to pull a few strings when necessary. And Clyde thought it would be good for me to have one last vacation before I really started my job at Interpol." She smiled over at Beth and shrugged. "At least everyone is here."

"Penelope makes it really hard to say no," he replied, nodding at the appropriate parts of the young man's speech. Soon, they were all piling in the boat, getting a feel for how it would work before trooping back off. "So, I guess we'll see you at supper tonight?" he asked as they milled around on the deck.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Emily smiled as she waved at them, moving off with Derek and Penelope.

"And here you were, thinking you'd never see her again. Shows how much you know," Beth gently teased, and he shook his head, wrapping his arm around her waist. "So, did I really hear that Penelope has us lined up for a couples massage at some point?"

"Yes, she did set that up for us." Turning his head, he kissed her temple. "Jack, do you still want to go swimming?" he asked, looking down at his son.

"Yes!" Grabbing hold of his hand, Jack began to tug him in the direction of the pools and he quickly took hold of Beth's hand, dragging her along. It didn't take them long to get to the family pool, and while Beth claimed them a table, Aaron helped Jack strip down to his swim trunks. "I can do this on my own, Daddy. Besides, you'll be with Beth, right?"

He nodded and Jack grinned, rushing over to the steps and clambering in the pool. Chuckling slightly, he went over to Beth's side and relaxed in the lounge chair. "We have to do this more often, Aaron."

"You know why I can't." He heard her sigh. "Beth?"

"I'm just having pipe dreams. We're both so busy with our jobs. After we're back, I have to fly to France and pick up a new acquisition for my museum. I wish you could come with me."

He glanced over at her, taking in the wistful smile that made her so lovely. "We're going to end things, aren't we?"

She seemed taken aback by his statement and shook her head vehemently. "No! I turned down a job offer in New York to be near you! I, I love you. Do you not love me?"

Aaron watched her eyes fill with tears as her dreams of a happy future died in front of him. He felt guilty in that moment and reached out for her hand. Hesitantly, she clasped it, holding on to him tightly, and he tugged at her hand. "Come here," he murmured and she nodded, standing and closing the distance between them. Once she was close, he pulled her down onto his lap and hugged her close. "I do think that I love you, Beth. It's just a little hard for me to articulate those feelings. I've told you about how Haley was stepping out on me."

She nodded and leaned in to kiss him. He met her halfway, making sure that the kiss was sweet and tender, knowing there were other people watching them. "I know, I'm just, I feel so insecure around all your friends. They're so much smarter and…"

Aaron stopped her words with his finger. "We have a different set of skills that we have honed, Beth. I couldn't tell you the least thing about art other than if I think it's pretty or not. One thing I do know, for sure and for certain, is that you are beautiful."

Beth melted against him, a grin spreading across her lips. "You know, that is part of why I fell for you. You are the sweetest man."

"And you are the kindest woman. I don't want to admit this, but I feel like I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for you to tell me that you've found someone else, someone who isn't away all the time. Haley, well, she decided that faithful didn't matter when I was away so much." He looked away from her, not wanting to see whatever was in her eyes.

To his surprise, Beth cupped his face and covered his lips with her own. "I would never betray you like that. I've been hurt like that, too, and I would never want that for you." Smiling, she rested her head on his chest, letting out a deep breath. "Do you think that Erin and Dave would mind watching Jack for a little bit?"

He shrugged. "Why?"

"They're in the pool, too. Erin's bathing suit is so adorable." Aaron followed her finger, his eyes focusing on the pair. Beth was right, Erin did have a nice bathing suit on, and the way the sun glinted off the water onto her skin made her indescribably beautiful. "Dave is really lucky to have someone like her in his life."

"He is. Well, let's go see if they'll keep an eye on Jack." Gently, he pushed her off his lap, and then she helped him to his feet. Hand in hand, they made their way over to the duo, and as he got closer, he heard Erin's gentle laughs and shrieks as Dave splashed her.

"David James Rossi! I have half a mind to sleep in Penelope's cabin tonight!"

"Ah, bella, you wound me! And I would so come for you…" As Aaron watched, Dave leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "I will always come for you."

Aaron cleared his throat and they looked up at him. A delicate blush spread across Erin's chest, and she swam closer to David, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "We wanted to get back to the room for a little bit, Dave. Would you mind keeping an eye on my little fish?"

His best friend nodded, rubbing Erin's back softly. "We can do that. We'll bring him by in about two hours."

"Thanks, Dave." Beth smiled shyly at Erin. "We'll see you at 8:30 for dinner."

"Sounds good!" Dave took hold of Erin's hand and led her over to Jack. Aaron wrapped his arm around Beth's waist and watched as they interacted with his son.

"He'll be all right, Aaron. He has two of the best FBI agents looking out for him." Beth turned her face and pressed her lips to his jaw. "Now, let's go see about christening our room."

He chuckled lowly, letting his hand slip a little lower, cupping her pert ass. "That sounds absolutely decadent, Beth," he growled in her ear, leading her back to their room. On the way, they met Ashley and Reid, also on their way back, and the younger man blushed, awkwardly moving past them to get to their room. "Guess we're not the only ones who are a little bit excited about being on the ship," he said as he opened their door, leading Beth in.

"Well, there's something wonderful about a vacation. It's freeing, you know. We don't have to worry about a single thing while we're on board. And Penelope has made certain that we don't have to worry about money." She closed the door and pushed him up against it, capturing his lips in a possessive kiss. "I don't ever want these days to end, even though I know they must. So we need to cram as much life into them as possible. I need the memories."

Nipping at his lower lip, she made quick work of his shirt, slipping it from his shoulders before tugging up his undershirt, her fingers dancing over his chest. Aaron couldn't stop himself from groaning lowly, loving how forceful she was being. "I need the memories, too," he finally gasped out as her teeth bit down on his collarbone.

"Well, I know what this trip will be all about then." Pulling back, she grinned at him, quickly peeling off her top. "Now, are you going to join me in that bed, or am I going to have to stand here all day?"

"I don't know, Beth. What would be in it for me?" he teased, making certain to keep his features schooled into a measured mask.

"Well, I could call a girl's night every night we're on this ship. I don't think the rest of the team would be very happy with you, if they found out you were the cause of their blue balls." He gasped a little at her declaration, and she giggled, wiggling out of her khaki skirt. "Now, is there anything I can do to convince you to join me over here?"

Giving in, he smiled, quickly shucking off his pants as he stalked over to her. "All you ever had to do was ask…"


End file.
